n8 A Midland Village: Garden and Meadow. 



as I am aware, have been lately published in 

 this country, which can compare with those of 

 Sir J. Lubbock on the intelligence of insects. 

 Birds are in fact an extremely difficult subject 

 for minute study ; abundant leisure at the proper 

 season, indefatigable perseverance, and the means 

 and opportunity of travel, are its necessary con- 

 ditions, which are denied to most men. And, it 

 must be added, a considerable sacrifice of the life 

 and happiness of birds is another sine qua non of 

 investigations of this kind ; and thus the growing 

 sensitiveness of cultivated men is brought into 

 conflict with the ardour of the enthusiastic savant. 

 But to return to my village ; it is astonishing 

 how many birds, in spite of the presence of their 

 deadliest enemies, boys and cats, will come into 

 our gardens to build their nests, if only fair oppor- 

 tunities are offered them. In a garden close to 

 my own, whose owner has used every means in 

 his power to attract them, 1 there were last May 

 fifty-three nests, exclusive of those of swallows 



1 This kindly patron of birds is E. D. Lockwood, Esq., late 

 of the Bengal Civil Service, and author of Natural History, 

 Sporty and Travel in India. 



